Keeper of the Lost Cities: Flashback (My Version)
by SophitzShipper
Summary: The Neverseen has created a Moonlark. Her human sister is an elf. Her human parents may be her biological mom and dad. And the humans have found Eternalia.
1. Chapter 1

"Drop the act," Sophie said. Fitz looked about as convinced.

"You're such a fake," Fitz said, leaning in close. "A real stinking fake. So you can drop the act. We want information, and you have it."

"You're going to have to believe me! I don't have what you're looking for!"

"A lack of straight-up saying he doesn't know anything makes it seem like it may not be fake. So let's ask his name and see how he answers," Alden reasoned.

"I'll do it," Sophie said. She looked Alvar in the eye. "If Alvar isn't your name, then what is it?"

"What? Huh? Name? Right." Alvar looked like he was racking his mind for a name. He looked up. "I forget."

"Okay, no." Sophie turned around. "No. He just said he forgot his name, like we should believe that. I agree with Fitz. He's a real awful fake."

Alden looked like he was trying to find a way to defend his, traitor or not, son. "Well, he was under Soporodine for a long time. Maybe that toyed with his memory."

"So was Prentice." Sophie was not going to show any mercy to the one who had lived in Everglen as a jerk _and_ a spy.

Alden sighed in defeat. "This is his chance to be my son again."

"Well, you might let him be your son again," Fitz growled, "but he will _never_ be my brother again."

"I just need to be careful with my conscience." Alden looked away.

"Oh. Right." Sophie looked down at her feet. "I forgot about that."

Fitz bit his bottom lip.

"Can you please, please tell me what's going on?" Alvar thrashed around.

"It's a very long story," Sophie said, mostly to herself.

"You're the Telepath." Sophie at first thought she had said it, but realized the two problems with that theory: One, she was a telepath too, and two, both Fitz and Alden were staring at her, like they were waiting for a response.

"You guys are telepaths too-" But then she realized what they meant. She was different. If she could find the buried or hidden memories, great. But if she could implant better memories, ones that could turn him away from the Neverseen… _awesome_. "Okay. I'll go in."

It was empty.

There was nothing in his mind at all.

 _At all_.

Except…

Suddenly his mind seemed to click. Like he was remembering everything. But they weren't the memories he should've remembered. It was almost like Alvar was… human. But even with as long as Sophie had been hearing their thoughts, she would never know how a human mind operated for real.

But she knew someone who could.


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, now understand this is extremely dangerous," Sophie said to her Imparter screen. "And make sure mom and dad don't find out you're gone. Wow, did I really just call them mom and dad?" She got a faraway look in her eyes. "Stop living in your messed up past, Sophie," she told herself. "Anyway, does this Cathey live close to you?"

"Two doors down."

"Okay. Oh, and make sure you have your cell phone with you. Because if they text you to come home, and you don't, they might go to Cathey's house. And if you aren't there, they'll call the police… and the police would never find you, but they may come a little too close to finding _us_. The elves."

"Don't I count?"

"You're still human."

"I feel like should I get a half-elf license for being the Moonlark's sort-of sister."

"It doesn't work that way."

Amy sighed. "Mom? Dad? Is it okay if I go to Cathey's house for a bit?" she called.

A faint "Sure" came from the background and Amy replied, "Thanks!" The Imparter screen went black.

"You can just… send me the thoughts." Amy was jumping with excitement at being in the Lost Cities again, and being part of something epic. Well, in her eyes.

"Sure. Wait." Sophie thought for a moment. "Right now I'm actually blocking you out. If I send things to your mind, I might have to take that barrier down, and… _nightmare_."

"What?" Amy looked a bit hurt.

"Human thoughts invade my mind and give me horrible headaches. And you don't control them."

"Wow! So you could tell what mom was planning for your 'surprise' birthday party when you were nine?"

"Birthday party?" Fitz started laughing. He tried to get control of himself. "Sorry. Humans. Elves. Birthdays…"

"Elves don't celebrate birthdays." Sophie was utterly unamused by Fitz for the first time ever.

"Well you could?"

"Yeah," Sophie admitted.

"I wish I could do that. I would go into your mind and figure out where in the Foster home you hid my awesome karaoke machine!"

"Sorry Amy, hate to break it to you, but no one can get in my mind. Even Alden. Well, Fitz can get in, but only when I let him. And only when we're working together as Cognates."

Amy looked disappointed.

Sophie added, "And you desperately needed to improve your voice."

"Hey!"

"We're getting off of the topic," Alden said.

"Alright. Just send me what's in his mind."


	3. Chapter 3

"That's human alright," Amy said, eyes wide. At about that moment, her phone buzzed. "I have to go back to the Forbidden Cities. Wow, did I just call my home forbidden?"

"I called your parents mom and dad."

"True." Amy reached for the crystal Sophie was holding out.

"Wait wait wait-" Fitz said. "I brought Biana's, mine, and Sophie two old nexuses. She needs to wear them all because she's human and lightleaping is seriously dangerous for her."

"What do I tell my parents about those?"

"Take them off before you go inside."

"I'm serious. This is an emergency." Amy had hailed her again about 5 minutes after leaving.

"Okay fine, what is it?" Sophie asked, waiting to hear that Kate Freeman had told her they couldn't have hamburgers that night.

"Cathey's allergic to soybeans."

"And?"

"Dad asked what she was allergic to, because he's inviting Cathey over for dinner. I said ingredients soybean stuff in it."

"And?" Sophie pressed.

"He…" Amy trailed off. "Remember how dad used to call you Soybean?"

"That was _so_ irritating."

"Well, I'm also going to have a school field trip soon."

"Is that necessary to know?"

"Yeah! Because he signed the paper."

"Connor Freeman, right?"

"That's the problem! He signed it William Foster!"

"He _what_?" Sophie shouted.

"Told you it was an emergency," Amy mumbled.

"Okay. I'll alert the Collective. I don't know how you would, but don't let this reach the Council. They may want to wipe your memories. You're perfectly safe as long as we can find out what caused this."

"But I know what caused this," Amy insisted.

"What?"

"You know how dad called you soybean, right? He remembered you when I brought up soybeans. Which isn't supposed to happen. Their memories were supposed to be _gone_ , not buried."

"Oh great," Sophie muttered. That nickname was causing more trouble than she had ever imagined.

"Natalie!" Amy's mother called. "It's time for dinner!"

"Who's Natalie?" Her father asked.

"See what I mean?" Amy whispered.

"Our daughter!"

"Which one? Amy or Sophie?"

"Great," Sophie muttered. "You've got to be kidding."

"Now you believe me?" Amy asked.

"I never _really_ doubted you…" But now was not the time for sister arguments.

"Sophie?" her mother called. "Wait a second. Where's Sophie?"

"Dang it!" Sophie slammed her fist onto the little metal imparter. "I think I might have to pay a visit to the Freemans, Amy."

"Fosters."

"You're right."


	4. Chapter 4

Sophie bravely knocked on the door to the _Foster_ 's house.

"Sophie!" her human father said, not sounding very happy, though.

"What?" It wasn't really what she should've said, but it was all she could say.

"What was that thing you threw at us? And you never really explained. And I have a blank empty space in my memory."

"The e-I wiped your memory," Sophie tried to be careful. She hated her slip for what it was.

"And?"

Suddenly there was a shriek from inside the house. "Help! It's following me!"

Sophie pushed past her human father and saw Amy running around.

But what surprised Sophie was that the air was getting dryer. Because all the moisture from the air had been sucked into a giant wave following her sister around.

"Amy? What's going on?"

"Sophie! Make it stop!"

"I… I can't. I'm not a Hydro-" She cut off as she realized what happened. "But you are. You're a Hydrokinetic."

"A what?" Amy screamed as she ran by.

"An elf! You're an elf who can control water!"

Amy froze, and the water rolled over her, soaking her thoroughly. " _What?_ "

"Come on! I only know one person who can make that go away!"

"I wouldn't come in," Linh said, peeking through the doorway. "Tam is in a mood right now and _I_ have to deal with it."

"Well, you're the only Hydrokinetic I know," Sophie said stubbornly.

Linh noticed the wave chasing Amy. "Isn't that your sister?"

"She's an elf. She's a Hydrokinetic. Help her."

Linh quickly sent the water back into the air and looked puzzled with Amy. "But wait. She has green eyes. What's going on?"

"Maybe she was human, but being Sophie's sister made her an elf or something," Tam said from inside, totally out of his ranting, interested in the conversation.

"What if my human parents," Sophie said in shock, "are my biological mom and dad?" She had never considered it. But what if she was looking for a random set of elves when it was really just her human parents?

"That would make Amy your biological sister," Linh said.

"I told you I count because I'm a Moonlark's sister!" Amy pumped her fist in the air.

"Funny thing is, that really is why. We think."

"You think what?" A male voice called.

"Shove a sock in it," Tam called back. "It's none of your business."

"We mean it, if you aren't ready…" Sophie said, switching the subject in her concern.

"No, we're fine," Linh assured her. "Mom's coming around. Dad's causing the real problem." She sighed. "I think mom actually wants us in her life. Our dad still thinks twins is too much of a disgrace." She sighed again, looking at the ground.

"If it gets too bad, we all mean it. You don't have to move back in yet." But Sophie knew Tam and Linh just wanted to be like normal people, with a normal mother and father.

"We're fine," Linh insisted.

"Dad keeps telling me I don't have to say I'm a year older, just that I'm older, because she _is_ forty-six seconds younger than me," Tam said.

"If you think your dad's bad, look at my mom."

Everyone wheeled around. "How did you find us?" Sophie asked Keefe.

"Well, I was walking by, and there was this like flow of concern that could've reached me if I was miles away. So I guessed Sophie must be here, or else somebody had some strong emotions."

Sophie sighed, and made a mental note to learn to block Empaths like she did with Telepaths.

"Anyway, Tammy, you're dad isn't half as bad as my mother." Keefe glared. "Can't… can't call her mom anymore..."

"Only Linh can call me Tammy," Tam said with a glare.

"You told me to stop calling you Bangs Boy." Keefe shrugged. "Are you ever going to cut them? Because if you don't, I'll do it for you while you sleep."

"Keefe," Sophie warned.

"What she's trying to say is my bangs are _awesome_." Tam pushed them in front of his eyes.

"Guys…" The wave was chasing Amy again.

It subsided as Linh laughed. "She has so little control, and I have so much. It's like I could be her mentor for years before she finally had to go get an adult elf to do it."

"You can't accept other compliments, but you can complement yourself." Keefe smirked.

"It gets easier with _dear_ daddy around, who's always complimenting _his_ self and no one's complimenting me."

"If I can learn how to control this thing, I don't care who teaches me." Amy tried to stop the wave again.

"Sort of imagine the wave doing what you want it to do and tell it to do it. And while you're just learning, it's helpful to say it out loud." Linh showed her how to put her hand out, making it work more easily.

Amy held the wave off. "Thank you so much," she told Linh. "I'll be good… for now."

They all laughed.

"I think I'm going to leave now. I need to catch someone up on all of this." Sophie turned around and tried not to get too excited about her great excuse to see Fitz.


	5. Chapter 5

"I guess I thought it would be good for you to catch up a bit on my secrets." Sophie twirled her hair the same way her heart was.

Fitz chuckled. "You owe me a _lot_ of them."

As they sat under Calla's Panakes, just a little closer to each other than was probably necessary, Sophie caught Fitz up on what had happened with Amy.

"What about that secret you _still_ owe me? From the day Keefe interrupted us?" Fitz chuckled at Sophie's blush.

"I don't know that I'm ready to say that," Sophie said, feeling her cheeks flush pink.

"But you were going to."

"Okay…" Sophie still didn't want to. She wished there was an easy way to stall without it being obvious that's what she was doing.

"Well?"

Sophie's once again flushed cheeks tried to help her clamp her mouth shut as it rushed out. "I'vehadthisreallylargemegacrushonyousincethedaywemet."

"You what?"

"I've had this… really… large… megacrushonyousincethedaywemet."

"Really large what?" Fitz prodded.

"Megacrush on you since the day we met."

"Oh." Fitz stepped back. He stood up and backed up a couple of steps. "Well then, close your eyes."

Sophie obeyed, and she heard his footsteps coming closer and closer.

And when Fitz _finally_ did what she'd waited what felt like her whole life for, Sophie kissed right back.

"Well, that was less of a failure than it was with…" Sophie trailed off and stared into his vibrant teal eyes.

"Who? Was that what you did with Dex?"

"My knees _totally_ collapsed while I did it. This was more movie-worthy." It was true.

"I've been waiting for so long to find the right moment to do that." Fitz chuckled. "One of the reasons I didn't rule you out because of your brown eyes was because you didn't look human. You were so… pretty. Even for an elf, you were so much more beautiful than anyone else I had ever seen. I didn't want to ever have to say I had a crush on a human, so I decided to see if you were an elf. You were. I'm glad. I hope you're at the top of my list."

"I'll be on there somewhere," Sophie said, hoping it would be true.

"I've no doubt." Unable to help himself, Fitz kissed Sophie again, and she responded again. Their silhouette against the sunset in front of the Panakes tree was the most romantic scene you could ever see in a movie.

Except that it wasn't a movie.

It was real, it was happening, and if it was a dream Sophie didn't want to wake up. It wasn't a dream.


	6. Chapter 6

"Biana! Biana! No no no." Sophie struggled to get out of her grasp.

"Uh-uh. You are _not_ going on a date with my brother without a _little_ mascara on."

"A little? I don't even know how you found out he asked me!" Sophie tried to wipe the lipstick off of her face. "This cherry red is driving me nuts, so don't do my eyelashes to match!"

"The mascara is black."

"Duh."

"So it doesn't match."

"You know what I mean!" Sophie remembered what Fitz had said about her being the most beautiful elf he had ever seen. And that was when she was in human clothing and breathing in pollution and eating chicken. Just the thought sent her heart flying out of her chest.

"What _are_ you guys doing, anyway?" Amy peeked in. She had moved into Everglen temporarily. In fact, Edaline and Grady were actually planning on adopting her under the same circumstances as Sophie. Well, almost same.

"Stupid makeup for a stupid date." Sophie rolled her Alicorn eyes.

"Date? With who?"

"I _told_ you to stay out of this. You were doing well until just now." Sophie had to feel bad for saying it-but _two Biana's doing her makeup_. The thought was scary.

"Well, don't get yourself killed on this... _date."_ Vertina sounded bitter before she disappeared.

Amy sighed. "Well Sophie, looks like your date is canceled. Because mom and dad's thoughts were supposed to be gone, which is why it's impossible that his memories were triggered. The Council was looking into it, but then I revisited mom and dad."

"Cut to the point already!" Second Moonlark or not, Amy was still Miss Annoying Little Sister.

"I'm getting there!" Amy insisted. "I went there, and, well, they think I've manifested again. Because I feel _sorry_ for you. You had to grow up with… _that_." Amy rubbed her head and transmitted, _Another ability I can't control? Can't I at least get used to being an elf first?_

"You're a telepath?" Sophie asked, wide eyed. Amy confirmed it.

"What, annoyed that you won't be the special-girl-with-five-talents anymore at Foxfire?" Biana interrupted. "Because you _will_ be the Level 6 who gets to mentor a prodigy."

"Huh?" Sophie asked, looking to Amy for clarification.

"Yeah." Amy took a deep breath. "I'm starting Foxfire this year. And your my telepathy mentor."


	7. Chapter 7

"No," Sophie said, barely able to speak. "I don't know how. Tiergan said his first lesson this year would be odd, but I didn't think he'd be training me to… train." She sank to the floor, suddenly having a huge headache. She clutched her head, but a second afterwards it was gone she stood back up. "I'm done now, guys. Sorry. It was just a flash headache." Wait.

When did Grady and Edaline and Dex and Fitz and Keefe and Tam and Linh and Marella and Tiergan and Alden and Della and _Elwin_ get there?

" _Flash_ headache?" Elwin said, in the middle of a panic attack. "Banshees don't rest on elves' feet for 'flash headaches'. You were literally about to die-and I can't tell what happened." It was true-Bullhorn was _still_ screaming, but not laying on her anymore.

And that explained why Grady was holding a crazy looking Edaline in his arms.

"But… I thought I was awake. And how can I almost die from the strain of having to teach at Foxfire."

Everyone's eyes widened. "So _that's_ what knocked you out for a week."

 _Week_?

Alden's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'll be speaking to the Council about their decision."

Tiergan looked about the same. "By the way, Sophie, the odd lesson was you trying to let me into your mind."

So they didn't know.

Amy was crying. So was Biana. "We're so sorry," Biana sobbed. "We didn't mean to almost kill you."

Every head in the room turned.

Amy nodded. "We agreed it would be funny if you thought you were training me. When that _thing_ -" she pointed to Bullhorn-"Stopped screaming and layed down on you, I thought it meant you were getting better. But…" she buried her face in Biana's clothing.

Sophie reached for a sedative she'd seen Elwin try to use on her before, and he didn't object as Sophie tried to suck herself out of the world.

When she woke 30 minutes later, Biana was on the floor and everyone was gathered around _her_ now.

When Alden noticed she was awake, he turned his tear-stained face to her. "How strong does your mind feel?"

Why would he ask her that? Unless…

"No!" Sophie shouted. Her mind _wasn't_ up to it. She couldn't save Biana. She felt like a piece of glass that shattered as she hit the floor and fell back asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_It was impossible._

 _Tears were all around her-but what made then tears instead of just water?_

 _Maybe it was how sad they felt._

 _But what was sadness?_

 _What mind was thinking these thoughts?_

 _Did it have a name?_

Sophie moaned at all of her unanswered questions. But then the cold tears warmed a bit.

Familiar faces surrounded her. But who were they?

 _Come home, Sophie._

It was Amy's voice that made everything snap into place.

Sophie opened her eyes. Biana was awake but looked like she was recovering from something. Mr. Forkle was in the room. Amy was crying, staring at Alden and Tiergan. "I don't know what that was or how I did it. I don't have half the abilities she has, and I…"

"What?" Sophie shouted, snapping out of it entirely. Maybe it was her enhanced mind that made her recover so fast. But she suddenly knew what happened to Biana. It had happened to her, too.

They had broken from guilt, and somehow Amy had led both of them back.

"It felt right in Sophie's mind because she was thinking of water," Amy said. "But I have no training. How…?"

"It's… Impossible." Mr. Forkle, in his crazy human disguise, narrowed his eyes, like he was trying to see into Amy's mind. He gasped and stepped back.

"What is it?" Sophie asked him, but she already knew the answer.

"With the right code, I can get into your mind, Sophie. But I don't know how to get into Amy's."

"Which means?" Sophie prodded.

"The Neverseen copied us. She isn't the Black Swan's Moonlark."


	9. Chapter 9

A few minutes later, when it had all been explained to Amy, her eyes widened. "So…" she said slowly and carefully, "I was made to fight Sophie?"

It made sense. When they learned the Black Swan was creating an extra-powerful elf, they did the same thing and and stuck her in the same house. It explained why they never got along. Explained the green eyes instead of brown, like an Alicorn's. Explained why Amy was younger than her. Explained why Amy was manifesting so early and all of them at the same time.

Then suddenly, Amy's eyes grew wide. "Everyone get _out of here_!" She screamed as her hands turned red. One hand controlled the newfound flames, the other trying to put it out with water. They wanted with each other, and Amy shrieked.

A hydrokinetic _and_ a pyrokinetic? When would it stop?

"Linh! Help her!" Sophie pulled out her Imparter. "Show me Marella Redek." She screamed at Marella to get over there and trained the Imparter camera on Amy, holding flames in one hand and water in the other, and Linh trying to help Amy control her ability. Marella nodded and blinked away.

She appeared in a flash of light. "Okay, I assume you're out of Quicksnuff, Mr. Ruewen?"

Grady nodded.

"Okay then." Marella joined Linh in helping Amy. When the mess was clear, Amy stared at them both.

"I'm getting scared of myself," Amy said, trembling.

"If the Neverseen really created you," Marella said, recovering, "then you should be."


	10. Chapter 10

"The adoption process is complete, Amy," Edaline said with a smile. "You're officially a Ruewen now."

"And officially Sophie's sister… again." Amy giggled.

"And that," Edaline agreed. "Now, Della Vacker was out buying you clothing, Amy… I hope you like sparkles." Then she turned to Sophie. "And she couldn't help shopping for you, too."

Amy cheered and Sophie groaned.

Sophie was surprised that Della had taken Sophie's style seriously. All the dresses were probably the simplest ones in the shop-which were still about as fancy as prom dresses, but she was glad Della had tried.

Amy, on the other hand, was thrilled with tons of huge dresses that would definitely make Biana jealous.

When Sophie and Amy walked over to the mirror, Vertina popped into the corner. "Whoa-You guys might be as pretty as Jolie!"

"Oh, thank you!" Amy said, delighted. "Your talking mirror is awesome," she told Sophie.

"And the new one might be as nice as Jolie."

Sophie stepped out of range so Vertina could talk to Amy without having to insult Sophie.

"Want Della to decorate your room, Amy?" Edaline called.

"Yes!" Amy shouted.

Sophie wondered where Amy's room would be. She suspected Jolie's room.

Suddenly Sophie's Imparter beeped, and she answered Biana.

"Wow…" Biana said, looking at Sophie's dress. Then she focused. "There is a major problem. We had to tell the Council the story of what happened with Amy being an elf and your parents remembering everything."

"Why?" Sophie shouted. "Please."

"There are about fifty human beings standing in shock in Eternalia, and about 90% of them will be faded soon."


	11. Chapter 11

( **In Eternalia** )

Sophie didn't recognize most of the humans. Just her human parents and three 11th grade girls from her school, which meant they had been in 7th grade when Sophie as a 12th grader.

She was still horrified at the pale look on all of their faces. And they were rapidly losing cells.

Which meant they had gotten there by lightleaping.

Elwin, who was standing beside her, shook his head. "I'll likely be able to use Elvin remedies on mist if then, but at the rate a human can fade, I'll likely only get about half of them. Then we'll deal with how they got their hands on a leaping crystal and how they found Eternalia."

"Then can you start with them?" Sophie asked, pointing to her human parents. "Then get the kids-" She pointed to a group of two twelve year old boys with three twelve year old girls- "Then the girls-" She pointed to some high school girls- "Then the boys and adults. That way it's all fair."

"What about the older ones?" Elwin asked.

"There aren't any. Their skin would be wrinkled." Elwin's eyes widened, but he tried the order she had given them.

Then Sophie took out her Imparter. "Show me Livvy Sonden." She wasn't sure if it would work, but technically she and Quinlin were still married and she still used his name.

Livvy's face appeared. "I'm already on my way to help Elwin. Just give me an order when I arrive."

When Physic got there, in disguise, carrying fading supplies, Sophie told her the opposite of what she'd told Elwin. Then she told her to take the mask off to not freak the humans out. Livvy reluctantly agreed.

Elwin and Livvy, each from opposite sides of the order, worked as fast and accurately as they could. All twelve Councilors arrived just in time to watch a mom disappear forever. Livvy shrieked and immediately set to work on the woman's husband.

Oralie shuffled closer to a young boy, who was half transparent. Elwin noticed the clue and moved around to him.

In the end, out of the fifty humans, twenty-seven survived-which was over half. Sophie had barely been able to watch as so many innocent people had died not even knowing what had happened to them. The Councilors were in shock.

One of the 11th graders Sophie had recognized shuffled over to her, and whispered, "So you're the smart kid."

Sophie blushed a bit. "How about Sophie?" She asked quietly.

"Okay. I'm Nat. Well, Natalia, but Nat is what I like better and you look the most understanding out of all them." Natalia waved her hands around the shocked but displeased looking Councilors, the Collective in all their crazy disguises, and the probably insane-looking physicians who had been flashing light around them. And then there was dressed-up Biana, Sucker-punch-loaded Dex, probably-too-cute-for-a-human-girl-to-talk-to Fitz, Tam-looking Tam, pale Linh, probably-marveling-at-all-the-humans Keefe, and mini-Biana Amy.

The Councilors uncomfortably greeted the Collective. The Black Swan members looked annoyed at the revealing, but the Council looked like they had mixed feelings about meeting the members.

Nat whispered, "These adults kook so young… It's almost not human."

Sophie's inner-Sophie and outer-Sophie warred on what to say, and she decided on "It's not."

Nat took a step away. "Are you serious?"

Sophie smiled and gestured around her. "This isn't quite how you imagined elves, is it?"


End file.
